Auto racing: Edwards passes on last lap for a victory

The Associated Press

Monday

Aug 31, 2009 at 2:00 AM

MONTREAL — Carl Edwards passed Marcos Ambrose on the final turn to win the crash-filled Nationwide race Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which ended with the cars on rain tires for the second straight year.

MONTREAL — Carl Edwards passed Marcos Ambrose on the final turn to win the crash-filled Nationwide race Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which ended with the cars on rain tires for the second straight year.

Edwards won a two-lap sprint to the finish on a track that was both wet and dry in spots from a light rain when Ambrose, who dominated the race, slid sideways after hitting the rumble strips in turn 14. Edwards slipped past Ambrose and outraced him down the final straightaway for his first career road win.

"The difference was the tires and the way the track was changing," Edwards said. "As soon as it gets dry, there's so much more grip, and there were places out there I saw that had a little more grip. Maybe I could just see better through my windshield."

Ambrose survived three other restarts in the final 12 laps of the race, which was plagued by 11 cautions and went two extra laps.

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series star Andrew Ranger was third. Former Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve finished fourth on the track named for his father.

Points leader Kyle Busch went from fourth to 10th on the final two laps.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Kimi Raikkonen held off Giancarlo Fisichella to win Formula One's Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, the Ferrari driver's fourth triumph at the high-speed track in the past five years.

The former world champion, who started sixth, immediately overtook pole sitter Fisichella after the safety car came in following accidents on the opening lap — including one involving overall F1 leader Jenson Button — and held for a 0.9-second victory.

Sebastian Vettel finished third.

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